Program Officer-LAC, Research and Monitoring & Evaluation

Status: Full-Time Project Employee
Location: Medellin, Colombia
FLSA: Exempt
Date: August 28, 2012

Job Summary: This position is will be responsible for planning and implementing field research for Mobile Financial Services pilot as well as conducting value chain analyses. He or she will be in charge of identifying and develop new partnership opportunities with potential clients. He or she will design and oversee M&E activities for Grameen Foundation’s various mobile for development projects and provide ongoing reporting to project stakeholders. The Program Officer will analyze and document research and monitoring findings and communicate learning to broader mobile for development community. This is a dynamic role on a highly driven and fast-paced team for a development professional who understands the potential to use Information and Communication Technologies to improve the lives of the poor.

Project Description: Grameen Foundation (GF) has been using mobile phones to reduce poverty for over 10 years and has a proven track record of reaching the poor and poorest with the information they need to improve their lives and livelihoods. We have mobile programs across the globe and design initiatives that allow poor communities to connect and transact with expanded networks of service providers and market players. Grameen Foundation offers organizations serving the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) powerful new tools: mobile technology and a methodology for leveraging existing networks of intermediaries to deliver mobile services. In Colombia, we are collaborating with a wide range of partners to provide mobile agricultural information and financial services to rural communities to reduce poverty. We have ambitious goals for poverty alleviation in Colombia and across Latin America and are building a team to execute on this exciting vision.

Reporting and relationships: The position will report to the ICTI Regional Program Manager, LAC.

Availability: The Research and Monitoring & Evaluation Program Officer is expected to work a standard work week of 40 hours plus additional hours as necessary to get the job done. The position will be based in Colombia. This position will need to be flexible to work in local conditions and across different time zones. This position requires significant work in the field (20% or more) within Colombia, and may require occasional travel to other countries as needed.

Essential Job Functions
Research

• Develop research plan for Mobile Financial Services work
• Develop and oversee light-weight value chain analyses as needed
• Develop qualitative and quantitative research tools for financial services and agriculture
• Standardize toolset for rapid replication in other geographies
• Oversee and conduct field exercises including focus group discussions, shadowing, mapping financial and information flows and gaps, individual interviews, and other techniques

Analysis

• Develop a system for capturing user feedback from the field
• Share feedback with product designers who will make modifications to product prototypes
• Conduct data analysis and in-depth data mining
• Analyze outputs of qualitative research and identify potential mobile financial and mobile information services
• Work with the Grameen Foundation team to determine product ideas that could be tested

Communications

• Write-up research findings and develop case studies to be published or presented in different communication channels such as blogs, academic articles, conferences, etc.
• Develop partner reports and presentations
• Present findings to external and internal stakeholders

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Design monitoring and evaluation framework for GF’s overarching Grameen Foundation program and integrate new projects into the framework as they come on board
• Conduct field level monitoring and use outputs to track progress against M&E framework
• Collaborate with Data and Content Analyst to update balanced scorecard and prepare quarterly progress reports for Grameen Foundation team
• Prepare monthly report for Grameen Foundation team and make recommendations for mid-course correction, based on research data.
• Develop a gender strategy for ICT activities
• Work with external evaluation firm to design early stage impact assessment

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep commitment to eradication of poverty and belief in the potential to leverage information and communication technology (ICTs) for the benefit of poor people
• Extensive knowledge of various quantitative and qualitative data collection methods (i.e. surveys, data mining, participatory evaluation methodologies, etc.)
• Ability to triangulate research methods to strengthen reliability of research outputs
• Excellent time and program management skills with ability to manage multiple work-streams simultaneously with proven track record of achievement under pressure
• Excellent presentation, written and oral communication, and interpersonal skills
• Extraordinary analytic skills with strong attention to detail
• Commitment to building social and gender equity into program design and approach
• Spanish and English fluency required

Education and Technical Experience

• Degree in econometrics, statistics, policy, agronomy, development or other related field
• At least 5 years conducting research with field experience in developing countries
• Experience designing and implementing M&E systems
• Experience using SAS, STATA, SPSS or other statistical software
• Experience in the dissemination of research findings, both through formal (academic publications) and informal (blogs etc.) channels
• Master’s degree preferred
• Preference for understanding of technology, particularly mobile money applications

Physical and Environmental Conditions: This position does not require unusual demands for physical effort. This position may occasionally require physical effort to lift and transport boxes weighing no more than 50 pounds.

Work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of places such as offices, meeting or training rooms, residences, or commercial vehicles; e.g., use of safe work place practices with office equipment, and/or avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations and traffic signals.

Additional Comment: The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job.
Reasonable accommodations may be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
Interested candidates should send their resume and brief cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position and what you will bring to the position. Resumes will be accepted through Sept 28th, 2012 with strong preference for candidates who apply before Aug 31st, and should be sent via email to lroldan@grameenfoundation.org. Please put “Program Officer, Research and M&E” in the subject line. MATERIALS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN ENGLISH TO BE CONSIDERED.